Atlantic City | Borgata Comps
With trial and error and many emails, phone calls and visits to the Mlife desk, I believe I have figured out the Earn Rates of the new Players Club Program (Mlife) at the Borgata, which was instituted on June 7, 2017.
Borgata Mlife Data Points – October 2017
There are four terms you need to know:
EXPRESS COMPS
For Video Poker, comps are earned at the same rate as they were through My Borgata Rewards: .2% of Coin In.
For Slots, I was told that $100 Coin In earns 1 Express Comp. I asked if this was for all slots, at all denominations and was told, “Yes” but I haven’t confirmed this with play.
As was the case with My Borgata Rewards, you must earn at least 5 Express Comps to earn any at all.
SLOT DOLLARS
This is where things get complicated. Previously, on video poker, Slot Dollars were earned at .1% of coin in. You didn’t earn any Slot Dollars, unless you earned at least 5. Now, you earn Slot Dollars on video poker at .08% of coin in, because what would have been that 5th Slot Dollar, now earns you $1 worth of Points, which is 100 Points. A Point is worth one cent.
So, for every 10 Express Comps you earn, you concurrently earn 4 Slot Dollars and 100 Points, so now $4 in Slot Dollars is the minimum you have to earn to earn any Slot Dollars at all. This is a downgrade during a Slot Dollar Multiplier Day because only the Slot Dollars are multiplied. The Points, which can be converted to either Slot Dollars or Express Comps are not. This is a reduction of 20% from the previous rate, which can add up if you take advantage of these promotions.
Related: (for historical purposes, based on the old program) Borgata Slot Dollars Multiplier Days
POINTS
Points are earned at .02% of coin in for Video Poker. (Notice, that’s two hundredths of a percent, not two tenths of a percent.) They can be used immediately, by either converting them to Free Play at a machine or by being converted to Express Comps at the Mlife Desk.
ONLY POINTS are subject to the Tier Multiplier at the Borgata. This is pretty chintzy considering that Points are only one tenth of your total earnings, at both video poker and at slots and that in Vegas, both Points and Express Comps are subject to the Tier Multiplier.
TIER CREDITS
For Slots, $100 coin in, earns 1 Express Comp and for every Express Comp you earn 75 Tier Credits. You do not need to earn the minimum of 5 Express Comps to earn Tier Credits. As soon as one Tier Credit is earned, it is added to your account. That is, except for earning Tier Credit for video poker. I was told that the Tier Credit earn rate is so low for video poker that they don’t even have a formula for it. That is an odd thing to articulate, since I have earned Express Comps for playing video poker. I know that you must earn at least 5 Express Comps to earn any at all and for each Express Comp you earn, you get 75 Tier Credits, so actually, you must earn a minimum of 5 Express Comps to earn any Tier Credits for playing video poker. If Express Comps are earned at .2% of coin in at video poker, then $5 divided by .2% = $2500 Coin In— the minimum video poker play to earn Tier Credit.
RECAP OF THE NUMBERS
Slot Earn Rate:
If $100 coin in earns 1 Express Comp and you have to earn 10 Express Comps to receive 4 Slot Dollars and 100 Points, then:
$100 x 10 = $1000 Coin In = 10 Express Comps + $4 Slot Dollars + 100 Points + 750 Tier Credits
Express Comps = 1% of Coin In
Slot Dollars = .4% of Coin In
Points = .1% of Coin In
Tier Multiplier Bonuses for SLOTS:
$1 Express Comps/1% = $100 coin in = 10 Points = 75 Tier
$10 coin in = 1 Point = 7.5 Tier Credits
Mlife Pearl Status:
25000 Tier/7.5 = 3333 Points ($10 a Point) = $33,333 coin in
Pearl – 10% Bonus = .01% of Coin In
$33,333 x .01% = $3.33 Tier Multiplier Bonus renewing Pearl Status at SLOTS
Mlife Gold Status:
75000 Tier/7.5 = 10000 Points ($10 a Point) = $100,000 coin in
Gold – 20% Bonus = .02% of Coin In
$100,000 x .02% = $20 Tier Multiplier Bonus renewing Gold Status at SLOTS
Mlife Platinum Status:
200000 Tier/7.5 = 26667 Points ($10 a Point) = $266670 coin in
Platinum – 30% Bonus = .03% of Coin In
$266670 x .03% = $80 Tier Multiplier Bonus renewing Platinum Status at SLOTS
Mlife Noir
By Invitation Only – 40% Tier Multiplier Bonus
Video Poker Earn Rate:
To earn Express Comps plus Slot Dollars and Points, you’ve got to earn at least 10 Express Comps, so 10 Express Comps = 4 Slot Dollars + 100 Points, so 10 divided by .2% = $5000 Coin In on video poker.
$5000 Coin In = 10 Express Comps + $4 Slot Dollars + 100 Points + 750 Tier Credits
Express Comps = .2% of Coin In
Slot Dollars = .08% of Coin In
Points = .02% of Coin In
Tier Multiplier Bonuses for VIDEO POKER:
$1 Express Comps/.2% = $500 coin in = 10 Points = 75 Tier
$50 coin in = 1 Point = 7.5 Tier Credits
Mlife Pearl Status:
25000 Tier/7.5 = 3333 Points ($50 a Point) = $166,667 coin in
Pearl – 10% Bonus = .002% of Coin In
$166,667 x .002% = $3.33 Tier Multiplier Bonus renewing Pearl Status at VP
Mlife Gold Status:
75000 Tier/7.5 = 10000 Points ($50 a Point) = $500,000 coin in
Gold – 20% Bonus = .004% of Coin In
$500,000 x .004% = $20 Tier Multiplier Bonus renewing Gold Status at VP
Mlife Platinum Status
200000 Tier/7.5 = 26667 Points ($50 a Point) = $1,333,350 coin in
Platinum – 30% Bonus = .006% of Coin In
$1,333,350 x .006% = $80 Tier Multiplier Bonus renewing Platinum Status at VP
Mlife Noir Status
By Invitation Only – 40% Tier Multiplier Bonus
SPEND CREDIT = ZILCH
The Borgata is the only Mlife property that doesn’t award Tier Credit for spending money at the resort, other than gaming. It seems to me that Tier Credit for Spend would encourage additional purchases and generate more revenue, but who knows?
Related: My Borgata Rewards to MGM Mlife – It Begins!
Related: My Borgata Rewards to MGM Mlife – Transition Day
Related: MGM Borgata Mlife Data Points After Transition – June 17 Update
Related: MGM Borgata Mlife Data Points – June 27 Update
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you want to receive full credit for your play at the Borgata, you may have to prove what you’ve earned, so it’s a good idea to keep documentation of your play, especially since a new Tier Earnings period has started. (October 1 to September 30). Although the Borgata has verbally quoted me the following earnings ratio, numerous times, in person at the Mlife desk and over the phone: $10 Express Comps = $4 Slot Dollars + 100 Points + 750 Tier Credits or $1 Express Comp = 75 Tier Credits, my personal account hasn’t once been calculated correctly by the computer system. Each time I contact the Borgata, an agent has confirmed that my account has not been credited properly and that my calculations are correct, based upon the information they have given me, but they have not managed to manually correct my account to numbers that I can make sense of. I have not been overly concerned with the discrepancies because they have been with my Tier Score (which is locked in to October of 2018) and my Points (which are negligible). My Express Comp and Slot Dollar earnings have been correct, based upon my play records. The Tier Score and Points should directly relate to the Express Comps earned (which I can corroborate based upon my coin in amounts) so unless the Borgata is outright lying about the formula which they are distributing verbally (though not in print) I feel confident that the earn rates I have given in this article are valid. Of course, a casino can change a program at any time, but I will update this information the moment it comes to my attention.
If you play at Mlife properties outside of Atlantic City, you should consider optimal ways to earn and to spend, to take advantage of the best features of regional Mlife programs. For example, you might go on a trip to Las Vegas and pay for all or some of your accommodation at an Mlife property and splurge at the spa or on fine dining. At 25 Tier Credit for every dollar spent, you would earn Mlife Pearl for spending $1000 and Mlife Gold for spending $3000. You could then build up your Express Comps and Points at the Borgata (on video poker pay tables with decent odds) and then spend those comps and convert those points in Vegas, when you’d have Tier Status for free parking and a multiplier for both Points and Express Comps. As I delve more into Mlife, I will write more about the most effective use of Mlife benefits. Want to learn more in person? Consider joining me at ZorkFest in December.
Catherine gravitates towards any activity that has to do with planning and lists.
This has served her well while trying to play optimally in casinos for over 10 years and traveling on a budget and working frequent flyer deals for over 30 years. Catherine’s affinity for tiny calendar stickers transformed into a love affair with the super cute world of Hello Kitty, which has been ongoing for more than 40 years!
I mainly play on 3-line $1 9/6 JoB and from multiple session calculations over the past few months, it comes out to $25 coin-in per tier point. perhaps it’s different on the single-line machines, but it would take much longer to reach the minimum amount of play to reach the $2500 / $5000 thresholds to get comps and bounceback so I don’t have as much mileage there.
You imply above that the Mlife desk can manually adjust the earnings, but are we supposed to run over to a representative after every single time we play in order to get what we justly earned? that seems very illogical and inconvenient.
in my personal case, Borg tier points are not critical as I will continue to accumulate most of my status in LV and still get my usual comp/cb similar to the old system. however, there is the possibility that it may become an issue for AC-only VP players in 2018 who had their status carried over, and find that keeping their card level may not be as easy as before.
Nice to hear from you kiosk!
The program is almost exactly the same as it was before except for the needlessly complicated addition of POINTS. (Points now being 20% of what was previously 100% Slot Dollar Earning and the Tier Multiplier for that small ratio of Points.)
Tier Earning for VP seems to be exactly the same, although it’s calculated using different numbers. The coin in to earn $1000 in comps for Black Label now earns 75000 Tier Credits for Mlife Gold.
It’s still $2500 vp ci to receive the minimum $5 in comps and $5000 to receive the minimum in Slot Dollars ($4 plus $1 in Points)
It’s not that you have to have a rep manually adjust your account, it’s that your account might not accurately reflect your play. I was able to prove that my Tier Score and Point balances were incorrect because my Comp and Slot Dollar balances were in line for the amount of coin in that I played.
we went back and forth about this in June, let me just show you my actual real-life figures and you can display yours that indicate what you believe the VP tier-point earning ratio is.
pre-October 1 (when tier points reset for the year)
Mlife Platinum through Sep 2018
example #1: about $12,500 coin-in
tier score from 346,826 -> 347,294 (+468)
comp $ from $62 -> $87 (+25)
points from 646 -> 941 (+325 or (250 x 1.3))
coin-in per tier point = about 26.7
tier points per comp dollar = about $18.72
example #2: about $5,500 coin-in
tier 347,594 -> 347,807 (+213)
comp $80 -> $91 (+11)
points 971 -> 1114 (+143 or (110 x 1.3))
coin-in per tier point = about 25.8
tier points per comp dollar = about $19.36
post-October 1
about $7,500 coin-in
tier 0 -> 259 (+259)
comp $9 -> $24 (+15)
points 30 -> 225 (+195 or (150 x 1.3))
coin-in per tier point = about 28.9
tier points per comp dollar = about $17.27
as mentioned in previous threads, I do believe that the earn rate of 75 tier points per $1 comp is correct for table games, but not for VP (I don’t play slots so I can’t analyze any changes there, if any). I really would like to see more specific session data from you regarding either a) if you are in fact getting the ratios you are posting and/or b) if you getting the tier points adjusted at the Mlife desk successfully.
I don’t have exact session data, because my Tier was not adjusted correctly until Sept 13 and up until that point, I was focused on figuring out the earn rates on Comps and Slot Dollars and was not all that concerned with Tier, since the Tier is good until Oct 1, 2018, and I have a bad rating anyway. Supposedly the Borgata rep researched all my play and adjusted my Tier and Points correctly. My adjusted Tier was roughly what I thought it should be but I did not keep as accurate count of it as I did with my Comps and Slot Dollars.
My Points were completely off, as in they didn’t make any sense. On June 7, I earned $20 Comp Dollars and $8 Slot Dollars and 48 Points and my Points stayed at 48 Points until a rep looked into it a few sessions later. I did not get specific coin in amounts from a host, but $20 Comp Dollars was about right and $8 Slot Dollars was also in line with the info the booth had given me.
I was further thrown off when the Borg rep gave me the numbers for the last session I had played before I called her and they were exactly what they should have been based upon the Comps and Slot Dollars I had earned BUT that was not the amount added to my Tier Score online.
When the rep quoted me my numbers, she confirmed numerous times, that it’s 750 Tier Credits for $10 Comps Earned. That should be for both vp and slots.
I have not played since Oct 1, so the next time I do, my earnings should be in line with the figures I quoted in the article. I will post exact session data then.
Now that 10/1/17 (tier reset date) has passed, I’m comparing earnings for a Bellagio trip [10/6-10/7] when I earned 72,000 TCs, with Borgata [10/20-10/21] when I earned 15,000 TCs; I played similar amounts on each trip [I play NON-poker slots only]. I inquired at the Borgata Mlife desk, the agent quoted numbers which are in line with the article, but noted that the earning rate in Bellagio is “much higher” than at Borgata [I earned $200 comp$ at Borgata, $150 at Bellagio]. Are earning rates based on the area where one plays?
nrr, we haven’t done much analysis on Borgata slot (non-VP) play on this thread, but it’s the general belief that for every $1 comp dollar earned at the Borg (regardless of method), a player SHOULD receive 75 tier credits. since you got $200 in comps, multiplied by 75 you get 15,000 TC’s which implies that your play is being calculated properly, based on approximately $20,000 coin-in which your point earnings imply.
you probably played slightly more on your Bellagio trip, as it would be $3 coin-in per 10 tier credits which calculates to $21,600 through slot machines. however, your comp earnings derived from base points (7,200) should technically only yield $72 in comps multiplied by your tier level, so $150 seems a bit high unless you converted your LV slot points (also $72 x tier) into comps as well (a common type of transaction).
your concluding question “Are earning rates based on the area where one plays?”, for tier points YES, but this was NOT the case for Mlife in terms of base (slot) points and comps until very recently. however, as MGM has started Mlife operations on the east coast in MD and AC, all the earnings ratios have become more mysterious (and unpublished on the Mlife site). a majority of the calculations at the Borgata has become more clear in the months since the conversion, though not all as you see in this discussion thread.
tier points aside, is the overall comps/points package slightly better at Borgata than in LV? percentage-wise, it can be worth a little more as long as you earn the minimum $10 comp + $5 bounceback/points in a gaming day. this would yield minimum of 0.3% of return vs. 0.2% + tier multiplier which maxes out at 0.28% for NOIR level. it should be noted that the Borgata bounceback does not apply until about 2 days after you stop playing so in the event you don’t plan to come back before the freeplay expires, you can’t count that.
It seems that at my “rate of play”, if I only played once a month at Borgata earning 15,000 Tier Points/visit, I could never requalify for Plat. But from (similar) play at Bellagio it would take only 3 visits. Bellagio is more “upfront”: many (not just VP) slots note $10 in earns 1 “point”.
In Caesars system the earning rates are clearly stated; in addition you ALWAYS see your TCs in the display on the slot machine. At Bellagio many slots show the message “UNTOK 32” while you are playing with your card in slot machine.
nrr,
kiosk has answered your questions well and in line with what I believe the earn rates are at the Borgata. Why Mlife structured current earn rates this way (with different earn rates in different regions) is difficult to figure out. I assumed that this was in part due to technical issues with integrating the Borgata into the computer system, BUT a friend just informed me that Mlife gives no Spend credit in National Harbor either and they have always been Mlife.
At this point, Borgata is more generous with overall comp than the props in LV, especially with vp, but LV is much more generous with Tier Credits. A player could take advantage of this if they play in both regions.
But, if a player only plays in AC, the program is basically the same as it was when it was My Borgata Rewards. Many players, myself included, have never actually earned a Tier Status and have obtained status with a match. (And the Borgata is still matching Caesars Diamond to Mlife Gold). In AC, other than free parking, and elite lines, the only benefit to Mlife Gold/Borg Black outside of theo is the opportunity to earn comps to go to the lounge or get a discount at the buffet. The difference in perks between Gold and Platinum is negligible in AC.
Did Mlife structure the program this way to encourage players on the East Coast to branch out to LV and vice versa? Maybe, but who knows.
I’ve considered earning status in LV and then using that status in AC, but what additional benefit would that give me if I can still get a match? I suppose each player needs to decide these things for themselves.
Since they seem to be “tweaking” the system, at some future date PLAT status may be more significant than it is now, being at the highest level couldn’t hurt. Yes, one earns comp$ at a faster rate at Borgata than in LAS, but (per a slot host in LAS) that may change.
Pre Mlife comp$ at Borgata expired 6 mos. from the date they were earned, under Mlife there is NO expiration (with activity) of comp$. In LAS I usually get food items charged to my room comped by my slot host–can I do that at Borgata?
as a general rule, all casinos have a host or VIP department that can pick up charges to the room (based on play) and/or award additional perks in excess or in lieu of regularly earned comp dollars. sometimes even the regular players club desk and/or hotel reception has authority to review folios. when in doubt, apply the Jean Scott rule and just “Ask” before you start spending your money. a $20k CI per trip slot player like yourself should be fairly well taken care of most anywhere IMO.
while it’s possible they may make some minor changes to the Mlife tier benefits at Borgata, the jumps between Gold / Plat are not really that much compared to say, Plat / Diamond / Seven Stars in Total Rewards. the tier multiplier at Borgata (as of current) is restricted to the verge of being useless, and with Golds having access to the Amphora Lounge, there isn’t much else above to want to aspire for, especially if the tier earnings are that much slower in AC than in LV.
I certainly agree and prefer those player card programs where you can see your point earnings in real time and know what they’re worth – in the end easier to devote my time and money to. but there is also the reality that MANY casinos all over the country do not have “countdown” type displays and people have to figure things out on their own, or share information online at sites like this and tons of others. in addition to the usual base points and comp dollars, to calculate the true net return of a players club, you also need to factor in future mail offers, promotions and events, how much extra you can get from a host, and other X factors which ultimately make one’s assessment of any particular casino highly relative.
the other reality is, many gamblers simply don’t know, don’t care or don’t even bother signing up for a players card in the first place. or what is becoming more common, devoting more of their budget to non-gambling activities. as long as they spend $ and the casino is happy with their business results, both sides are free to do whatever they think works best.
kiosk,
I played Oct 18 and 19 and confirmed with the booth that the vp earnings figures I quoted in the article are correct. The problem is that for some reason, even though I have contacted the booth and called the Borgata numerous times (including this morning) my Tier Credit Total and my Points Total are not being calculated correctly. The Borgata can’t seem to figure out why. I think it might be an IT thing.
Anyway, I did the earnings rate calculations on your figures and I can see that your Tier Credits are not being tallied correctly either, though your Points are.
pre-October 1 (when tier points reset for the year)
Mlife Platinum through Sep 2018
example #1: about $12,500 coin-in
tier score from 346,826 -> 347,294 (+468) NOT CORRECT
comp $ from $62 -> $87 (+25)
points from 646 -> 941 (+325 or (250 x 1.3))
coin-in per tier point = about 26.7 NOT CORRECT
tier points per comp dollar = about $18.72 NOT CORRECT
$12,500 coin in = $25 Comp (.2%)
$12,500 x .08% = $10 Slot Dollars
$12,500 x .02% = $2.50 or 250 Points + 30% = $3.25
$25 Express Comps x 75 = 1875 Tier Credits.
You should have been given 1875 Tier Credits for this session, not 468.
$12,500 (1875) = $6.67 Coin In per Tier Credit
until you can prove either through screenshots, pictures or detailed play logs on your end showing the “correct” tier credit earning ratios you published (whether generated automatically through regular play, or manually adjusted by the Borgata Mlife desk), you should stop pretending that it’s a fact just because someone that works there keeps trying to tell you that. your quote “Not all Borgata employees understand the new program” (which is UNACCEPTABLE by the way) – so how can you be so sure that whoever you talked to is any more credible than you are? I don’t see anywhere else on the internet (include mlife itself) that has tried to publish a tier to VP ratio for Borgata, except for your blog posts here – and you can’t even prove it with your own play (yet).
hypothetically, if I accept a job that says they’ll pay me $20 an hour, I work 40 hours and then they give me a check for $600, how much should I write on the deposit slip when I take it to bank? it is “IT’s” fault, like Equifax?
kiosk,
I have been told numerous times, by different representatives, that for every $10 in Express Comps earned you will receive 750 Tier Credits, $4 Slot Dollars and 100 Points. They wrote these numbers down for me on a piece of paper. Different representatives have given this same exact information to me, every single time I’ve had a question about my account. They have corrected my Tier and Points balances based on this information. My Express Comp and Slot Dollars rates are in line with these ratios and have been consistent for all of the play I have done since June 7, 2017.
The computer system has had glitches since the Mlife transition day. Could it be a coincidence that half of my numbers fall in line with quoted rates and the other half not only do not, but that the Borgata is purposefully giving me false information, while at the same time, adjusting my numbers and confirming them to me, when I go to them? Yes, but I don’t believe that is likely.
The Borgata has never given out coin in earnings rates. That info has always been extrapolated. But, I do have documented proof that the Comp Rate is .2% of coin in and have listed some of those numbers in articles. I have received comps at that rate since June 7, 2017. That is the same exact earning rate of My Borgata Rewards.
There is nothing in the literature saying that the Borgata specifically does not give any credit for Spend, but when you go up and ask the booth, they will tell you that they aren’t giving any Spend credit at this time and it is true that they don’t give any credit for Spend, even though every other Mlife property does.
The only reason I would have to retract the numbers I have listed is if the Borgata manually adjusts my numbers to amounts that I can’t quantify. My Tier Credit Total and my Points Total have not been correct, but when manually corrected, confirm the earn rates I have given.
I have researched this information in order to help people make sense of the new program, which is not transparent and probably never will be. If you wish to categorize the information as erroneous, that is your prerogative.
I apologize if I had any negative tone, we can at least agree that this whole Borg Mlife switchover has indeed been very frustrating for both of us, if not many others.
you still assert that after bringing it up with the players club desk, that you can get your tier credits (and points) manually adjusted to the ratios you’ve posted, and I have no ulterior reason not to believe you. considering that both your and my Mlife accounts have not been accurately calculating tier and/or points for VP automatically, potentially there are thousands of other players with the same problem that don’t even know it because they don’t have the mathematical experience of breaking down these programs like we do. I still would very much like to see some pictures or a detailed walkthrough of what you think players should do if their account numbers need to be adjusted, and how it should be explained to the Mlife representative. I might even print out this entire thread and the original article to show them.
more importantly, should Borgata and Mlife be notified that they are possibly shortchanging a significant percentage of their customers trying to keep or achieve their status in 2018, and have it corrected immediately as the new earnings period just started this month? this would ultimately be the highest benefit if your already hard work.
Apology accepted. Let’s see if we can get a handle on this situation.
I am the only one publishing a Tier to vp ratio because I am most likely the only one pressing the Borgata to give me valid Mlife information. I am doing this so that I can be comprehensive with the numbers in my articles. When I ask a business a direct, basic question about something I am paying for, I expect an answer. This isn’t secret proprietary information. I have been going back and forth with the Borgata about this for almost 5 months now. What more can I do but play and see if the numbers line up with what they tell me they are supposed to be?
Personally, this information is not worth the time it is taking me to try to obtain it. I have never actually earned a Borgata elite tier through play. I have always gotten a match. And, my play level is so low that we’re talking discrepancies of a few single dollars in Points.
So, here are exact numbers. I played on Oct 18 for the first time since Tier Credits re-set, so my Tier was at zero. In addition to the information they have given me at least 10x: $10 Comp = $4 Slot Dollars + 100 Points + 750 Tier Credits, I have their contention that Mlife is almost the same as My Borgata Rewards.
So, when I’m finished playing on Oct 18, I had earned $21 Comp Dollars, which shows in my account. And I’ve earned 24 Points. I go to the desk the next morning and say, Shouldn’t my Points and my Tier Multiplier show immediately after play? Yes, it should. I only received 24 Points which doesn’t make sense. She says, You should have received 210 Points. Yeeees, that is what I calculated! Plus the Tier multipler. She does some further calculations and says that it doesn’t even make sense if I was only receiving the Tier Multiplier (42 Points). They will look into this and make adjustments. I make a note, that for $21 Comp I should be getting 1575 Tier and she agrees with that.
I played again that day, Oct 19. I earned $26 in comps. So that’s a total of $47 comps over the two days. My rough estimate is that I did play $23,500 ci, which would work out to .2% comp earn rate for vp. I go home and check my account.
It shows the $47 comps that I earned AND it shows that for that I will be receiving $18.80 in Slot Dollars. EXACTLY what I thought I should receive.
And I earned 246 Points (should have been 564) and 1786 Tier Credits (should have been 3525). I called the rep I have been dealing with over the phone. I haven’t received a reply.
It’s obvious to me that the computer system is not updating my Tier or Points correctly. I do not think that the Borgata reps are giving me false information. They have confirmed the correct earn rates, every time I’ve brought my account to their attention. Are there thousands of other players who also have discrepancies in their account? Probably. Is Borgata going to be able to fix them? Probably not.They have not been able to fix just this one account, that I have brought to their attention at least 5 times, each time confirming that my calculations were correct and that the numbers posted online were not.
At first I thought that the Borgata had specifically made sure the Comp Dollars and Slot Dollars were correct because players would lose their mind if they thought they were being short changed, BUT I now believe it’s because that is the part of the system that is the same as it was with My Borgata Rewards (except for adjusting the Slot Dollar earn rate to .08% from .1% which may have been easy to do). The Points and Tier Credits are something completely different and they haven’t figured out how to integrate all the Borgata accounts into the Mlife system.
I’m assuming that Tier was extended for longer than a year because of this problem and they are getting away with this mess because these earn rates don’t matter to most of the players. I believe that they haven’t added Spend to Borgata because they technically cannot do it.
I’m kind of glad that we explored this issue. 🙂 At this juncture, the only way I see to get additional benefit at the Borgata through Mlife is to play at other Mlife properties in addition to Borgata play.
going back less than a year ago, Mlife’s point/comp system was pretty straightforward (and publicly published) for all of the casinos it owned at the time. the relationship between tier points and slot points is probably the most confusing part (and is even more now, of course), in that you get 10 tier per slot (base before multipler) point in LV ($10 VP coin-in), 2 in Mississippi and 1 in Detroit. I don’t recall if there was an Mlife system in their former markets in Reno, Laughlin and Primm so we’ll leave those out. I myself mistakenly thought at first that I needed $250k coin-in just to reach Pearl level in vegas (25,000 tier), of course now I realize that is enough to go past Platinum.
I don’t pragmatically have a problem with lowering the tier and comp earning levels on games that make the casino less money (like good VP, and video blackjack in some cases), but blanketing out entire casinos and gaming markets seems a bit much. I’m sure MGM players in the midwest and south already have their beefs, but with the opening of National Harbor and the full takeover of the Borgata, things have gotten even more bizarre. I have not been to the MD casino myself, but have not seen any good concrete data on their point system anywhere online. vpFREE lists a very strange ratio of $35 per point, 143 points per $1, which is a roundabout way to get to $5000 coin-in per 100 slot points (0.02%) which is the same as what we’ve calculated for Borgata – and that could just be a random coincidence. and nothing about comps or tier in the meantime.
how is this going to all play out in 2018 and beyond on the east coast? who knows, every player has a different M.O and the most significant parts of the Mlife program remain similar to what Borg customers are used to. table players are getting the correct $1 comp : 75 tier which gives Mlife Gold virtually the same perks as Borg Black. I can’t speak for slot players, but considering that there are only a handful of VP players questioning the new system so far, reel machines would probably be that much more oblivious.
I earned my Mlife status in LV and will continue to do so if I want to keep it up. obviously there are are no good low-roller VP plays on the strip (not for Total Rewards either), but there are some isolated “OK” machines for multi-line $1 and 25c denoms, which is the amount of action one probably needs to reach higher tiers in the first place.
is one of the people you talk to at Borgata the same as “Joanna M” that posts on the TripAdvisor boards? her quote is ‘For ABOUT every $200 through a video poker machine, you earn 75 Tier Credits and $1 Express Comp’, which again does not appear to match any of our actual real-money play experience. she says that she accepts DM’s from players so I might ask what her response is to the issues in this thread.
my theory here is, the Borgata management has told the Mlife representatives what to tell the public about their program’s tier earning ratios, without actually worrying about whether it’s actually 100% accurate because (I deduce) many players just don’t know or don’t care to notice. and they can always cover their butt in the end because there’s nothing actually written on Borgata and/or Mlife’s site for people to contest legally. in fairness, I believe they are doing this unintentionally, and it may only significantly affect the VP machines which represent a proportionally small percentage of their casino operations (and certainly, their net profits).
i still take note that your journalistic opinion that a verbal statement from an employee(s) which does not match any real-world results is justified to publish (without at the very least a kind disclaimer that the research is still in progress). this to me is at best an incomplete effort if your goal to properly inform people who read your articles (and reflective on TravelZork as a whole), and at worst, innocently naive.
kiosk,
I have only spoken to whatever rep I went to at the Mlife desk, each time I’ve stood in line to ask questions. I am usually referred to a manager, after I explain my situation. Since August, I have also been corresponding with a rep over the phone, who replied to my initial email inquiry into my account and who has been having my account adjusted manually, whenever I call with discrepancies.
Unfortunately, my Tier Score and my Points from my first play after Oct 1, were again adjusted incorrectly. I was given MORE Tier Credit and Points than their formula dictated. I phoned again to question this and to confirm for the 15th time, that the formula they gave me ($10 Express Comps = $4 Slot Dollars, 100 Points and 750 Tier Credits) is what I could quote and what they are currently using. She assured me that everyone at the Borgata uses that same formula. I brought up the fact that the system is obviously not updating to these numbers and she kind of mumbled that not everything is working correctly. But, then I asked her again, to confirm that if the system doesn’t update to these numbers, will the Borgata correct an account to these ratios every time. She replied, yes, but just kept giving me these ratios for my particular account. (Since I am Mlife Gold she quoted 120 Points for every $10 Express Comps earned).
I totally agree with your assessment, that Borgata Employees may have been given information that is not 100% accurate, although half of my numbers (Express Comps and Slot Dollars) line up with the formula and Points should logically fill in after the Slot Dollar amounts are calculated. Although it is possible, it is not likely that the Borgata could get away with quoting again and again (although only verbally) that all players will be awarded 75 Tier Credits for every Express Comp earned. They have never once told me that different earn rates apply. If they want to downgrade earn rates, all they have to do is change the rate at which you earn Express Comps on the machines.
I feel I have qualified my statements on earn rates. I have used language like, “I believe” or “according to what I was told” or “these figures make sense” but I don’t want to mislead anyone or distribute inaccurate information. I will edit the articles to make it clear what information is 100% verifiable by unquestionable sources and what insights are based upon the best information I could gather and an informed reasoning process. In the future it might be prudent for me to share timely insights and calculations, with just my friends or in a private venue, such as ZorkFest, where my energy is spent focusing on practical information to use in the casino, rather than proving theories beyond a reasonable doubt.